Ronnie Landis: Greetings and aloha. Welcome to another edition of the holistic life mastery podcast show. I am your host, Ronnie Landis. And we have an incredible, amazing, truly fantastic episode lined up for you today with a dear, dear friend of mine. Her name is Adina Samson. Adina is a health expert. She is a transformation coach.

She is a subconscious belief system reprogramming expert. Um, and she is a woman that has, conquered numerous mountains of adversity and has turned tragedy and pain into triumph. That’s a great way to introduce my dear friend, Adina. We’ve known each other since 2010, actually. And we talk about our background together in the spiritual orientated communities back in San Francisco of Bay Area, California.

So many years ago when I was just getting my start as a personal development, spiritual development and holistic health coach. And we’ve known each other quite a long time and we have quite a background in history in parallel kind of timelines of our life journey. And we got brought back together about a year ago and just been in communication on and off on social media.

Long story short, we reconnected and decided that we needed to do a podcast together because her story of healing and transformation was is truly incredible. It’s really one of a kind and her articulation, her passion, her energy, her depth of experience and expertise is second to none. And I know that you are going to get so much out of this episode.

It is going to be transformative. So I’m excited for you to dive deep into this. Um, get your headphones, go for a long walk. Um, get a snack, drink some water, uh, you know, or get your favorite drink or tea or whatever you do and post up and get ready for truly an incredible podcast journey. This one is, uh, one for the record books.

So without further ado. Enjoy this episode with my dear sister, Adena Sampson. Adena Sampson, welcome to the Life Mastery podcast show. 

Adena Sampson: Oh, Ronnie. Thank you so much for having me. Excited to be here. 

Ronnie Landis: Yeah. Super excited to have you here. It’s a pleasure and an honor and been looking forward to this for some time.

We’ve known each other for a long, long time. We go way back. I want to say if it’s 2000 and 23 now, then we go back at least like 13 ish years. 

Adena Sampson: I think so. It’s been one hell of a ride. That’s for sure. And, uh, happy to be back, you know, uh, here reconnecting after all this time. 

Ronnie Landis: Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. We got to reconnect recently.

You had me on one of your summits, which was an amazing honor. Just really happy to dive into the transformational and healing arts with you. And so, you know, there’s, there’s a lot that we could say and catch up on. I want to dive into your story. You have quite a remarkable healing and transformation story.

You have been through so much and you have evolved through so much and you are a shining example and role model. Of the indomitable human spirit. And that’s largely why I wanted to have you on the show and discuss your story. Your, um, and, and the principles that you use to guide your life and, um, and the book that you’ve created, we’re going to get into all of that.

But um, to kind of start us off, I want you to share some of your origin story. How did you get into what we call the transformation space? And I want to tie that in with your healing journey because i’m i’m really curious about What that looks like and I know it’s going to be incredible for the audience as well.

Adena Sampson: Absolutely. And of course Uh, definitely a loaded question and an important one, you know It’s right you think we sit here we go, okay Yeah, let’s do this. 

Ronnie Landis: As I asked it, I realized big of a question that really was. 

Adena Sampson: And again, I’m used to it now, you know, as yourself, you know, being on the journey. And again, it’s really important, you know, to share my vulnerabilities right to share our journey.

So that others who are currently navigating, uh, you know, many of life’s unexpected twists and turns, whatever that looks like from a transitionary perspective, right? Which so many are if they weren’t prior to, uh, you know, over the last few years, what we’ve all been through collectively. Uh, so it’s my pleasure, Ronnie.

Um, you know, it’s going to be a twofold answer and you can kind of interject to help, you know, clarify if you’d like along the way. Uh, you know, like many of us, I’ll just say that it started off. You know, uh, you know, growing up, you know, growing up, uh, grateful, thankful, blessed, uh, both my parents, you know, came from broken homes.

Uh, they did the best they could, you know, oldest of two, uh, younger sisters. So for me, I grew up very fast, you know, kind of the weight of the world on my shoulders at an early age. Um, and that just ties into where I’m at now. And again, to answer your question as to why the personal development field Uh, what’s taking place?

Uh, you know, um, the biggest thing I think I can start with is just saying that I spent the last, you know, 12, 13 years fighting for my life. Um, I don’t say that lightly. Uh, we’re talking, you know, excruciating heartbreak. severe chronic illness and financial devastation. Uh, so it’s not just one hit, not two hits, but as you’re aware of the domino effect, right?

Boom, boom, boom. And, uh, you know, that’s a long stint and there was a lot to learn in the process. So as horrific as, uh, many parts of my journey, uh, has been that I wouldn’t wish upon anyone. I will also say that I wouldn’t trade it for the world because again, a big part of dealing with the chronic illness that I was dealing with, which if you’d like, we can dive in.

Ronnie Landis: I definitely want to dive into that too. 

Adena Sampson: Yeah. I was, you know, again, misdiagnosed for close to seven years, uh, chronic Lyme disease, 

which 

CDC still doesn’t fully, uh, recognize, uh, you know, again, most just, uh, you know, have the, the, um, you know, notion that you are aware that you’ve been bitten by a tick if that’s the way, uh, you know, things have gone down and then somehow you can take two weeks of doxy cycling and you know, you’re good to go.

Uh, not the case. So huge epidemic long before even covid 

came 

around. Uh, again, I bring that in because it all, you know, plays a role, meaning prior to COVID and the cytokine storm, the inflammatory responses that we’ve been seeing so many of us, again, those that have been deemed either whether, whether that’s Lyme, lupus, chronic fatigue, uh, any underlying, what we would call deemed mystery illness, uh, you know, autoimmune issue, Uh, it’s all linked, all dealing with the same cytokine storm for very long, right?

For a long time. Uh, so I’m just grateful, thankful, blessed, I’ll just state, uh, you know, for me, the fact that I’m still here, no small thing. It was really, truly healing so many facets. So many pieces within me, Ronnie. Um, again, realizing that I was giving away my power in certain circumstances, right? Um, giving from an empty cup, right?

Um, really having to learn to trust myself after all the gaslighting, medical and other. Okay. 

So 

that’s just an overview. I don’t want to, You know, speak too much. Uh, you know, unless you have some thoughts here right now. I 

Ronnie Landis: definitely have, I definitely have some thoughts. You’re bringing up a lot of thoughts for me.

You’re like hitting a lot of bullet points that I want to go deeper into your unique experience and, and, uh, perspective on. So for sure that we definitely need to hit, hit some of those. 

Adena Sampson: Yeah. So, you know, like I said, uh, one hell of a ride different journey than, uh, some. And, um, you know, again, uh, personal development, right.

It’s always been a passion of mine. However, prior to, uh, you know, the pandemic, I thought I had missed my boat. I had spent, like I said, uh, 12 years fighting for my life. What did that look like? We’re talking brain on fire. We’re talking 24 7 pain cycle. Okay, we’re talking full fevers, migraines. Um, the list goes on and it’s a long list.

Again, we can always get into more. Uh, but point being, when you’re in a 24 7 pain cycle, you’re not really sure which way is up. You’re doing your best just to get through moment to moment, right? Um, again, uh, it all started, like I said, 12 years ago, woke up with my rest, my right breast on fire. Didn’t know what was going on, ended up in the hospital with four nurses around me, trying to stick me with an intravenous seven different times before it took.

And, you know, that’s just the beginning of the journey. So, um, you know, just grateful, thankful, blessed that, you know, I was able to do my, my inner work, you know, realize that Some of my coping mechanisms, uh, even codependent tendencies that were so subtle that I didn’t realize were still playing out from survival.

Right? Uh, from what I picked up in childhood and no longer serving me in adulthood. So yes, my passion is mindset for a reason. And as you know, you are into the holistic, uh, way of healing. And that has been my journey as well, is understanding the pieces of the puzzle that come together and going, wow, now I see it, I really had to take this journey to one, I can’t teach what I don’t know, right?

We can’t sit here and say, Hey, look, I know what it’s like to suffer if we don’t know what it’s like to suffer in order to have that compassion and the authenticity to say, Hey, you’re not alone. Okay. If I can do this, if I’m still standing, you can too. We’ve heard it before. And yet, you know, for me that, that rings true in my heart.

And I know yours, you know, uh, it’s, it’s not about, um, You know, facade. It’s about let’s get bottom line here. Let’s talk brass tacks. Let’s be raw and real. And let’s talk about what, what we don’t talk about, right? Let’s, let’s educate. Let’s, let’s support each other. Let’s build community. 

Ronnie Landis: Absolutely. 100%.

There’s so much in what you just shared. And there’s a few areas that I want to really I want to delve into in more detail. I think the first place for us to start with this is you mentioned codependency and also gaslighting. I want to, I want to discuss a little bit more about both of those things. I think they, they go hand in hand and all of us have experienced that on some level, we may be aware of it or not.

The term gaslighting has become more popular, just like the term narcissist has become more popular. And I think there’s an appropriate and accurate use of it. And I think there might be a misappropriate or misappropriation of both of those terms, um, because like so many things, they can be very generalized in in inaccurately placed or even projected.

And I would love to get your take on. What does it mean to have a codependent relationship with something or someone, whatever it may be? You mentioned coping mechanisms. And I’d also like to get your take on gaslighting. 

Adena Sampson: Sure. Again, I love where we’re going with this because I actually agree in many different facets here.

Again, important to bridge the gap. Uh, you know, so we, I’ve never been big on, um, uh, putting someone or something myself or others in a box, right? Uh, you know, not big on labels and yet it’s what we have in our language. Um, yes, I agree that lately you’ve heard that almost maybe too much. I think narcissism, the same thing, you know, people get on this kick or this trend.

And I think there’s a lot of misperceptions. around, you know, both of these, you know, codependency and narcissism, uh, the terms, uh, you know, I’m not one also, um, to spiritual bypass. Uh, again, I’m, I’m all about the, the, our embracing and owning our own humanness, right? If we can get raw and real with ourselves and understand some of our, uh, shadow selves, right?

The pieces that we have been holding back, uh, and pretending not to look at or to put away because that’s what we were taught and told was unacceptable, that’s where the healing lies. That’s what’s changed my life, right? So when we talk about codependency narcissism, I believe all of us have, um, certain aspects and facets to both of these.

Okay. Again, I don’t get stuck on the label. Um, I get, we get to say, look, I don’t know how much I can say here, Ronnie, because really what you can, 

Ronnie Landis: you can, you can say anything. 

Adena Sampson: Okay. Because if you need to, at some point when I wanted to say here, if you edit this or not that, you know, people think their shit don’t stink.

And what I’m trying to say is, yes, it does. And once we can accept that, yeah, your shit stinks too. So does mine. That is really not a small, um, shift in perspective. That’s the responsibility, taking ownership of how we’re showing up and really accepting all facets of ourselves, the humanness, the parts that we thought are judged as ugly, right?

The good, the bad, and the ugly. And again, it only, Our perception of something is what makes it so so it’s not black or white. It’s not wrong or right. It can be. That’s just the duality. And if we can understand that there’s different shades of gray right and different shades that at any given moment, we all fall prey to and or participate in.

I think therein lies the answer, if you know what I mean. 

Ronnie Landis: Yes, absolutely. Yeah, and this piece around taking personal responsibility is so important, because one thing, I don’t know if you mentioned it or it kind of slipped through in the transmission, but what came up for me is when we think of narcissism, and how we all have pieces and parts within the, the kaleidoscope of who we are as a holistic human being, um, We have the shadow and the light we have up and down.

We have complimentary opposites and masculine and feminine energetics to our nature. So all that meaning that we have a complete puzzle of a human being. But a lot of times. We’re only aware of certain aspects or we only want to perceive certain aspects that make us feel comfortable with ourself. And this thing about narcissism is interesting because at a certain level of development, a child is technically narcissistic, but not in the judgmental sense of the word, the way that we typically use it when we’re dealing with adults.

Um, a child is, is focused on themselves. They only know themselves. Their corpus callosum in their brain hasn’t fully bridged the right and left hemispheres of the brain. So there isn’t a full communication between the two dimensions of themselves, the subject and the object, if you will. So they’re very, um, they’re very focused on themselves.

We might call that self centered or selfish, right? They, in other words, they rely on others to take care of them, right? Rely on your parental figures or whatever. And what came up for me is thinking like we have a lot of adults or a lot of people in adult bodies that haven’t fully developed psycho emotionally and certainly not spiritually.

And I feel like that’s a huge root source of where these things like addiction, codependency, quote unquote narcissism, um, and further kind of like what we would call pathologies, um, manifest from. Curious if you have any thoughts on that. 

Adena Sampson: Absolutely. Absolutely. And absolutely again. Yes. Again, you know, as Children were curious as Children.

We are, you know, to survive, you know, focused on our needs. You know, you mentioned something. There’s a very fine line between being self loving and being selfish. They are not one in the same. And again, another misperception and, or what I would say, lie. We really grow up being taught and told, whether that be from our parents, the kids at school, our teachers.

Again, it’s not their fault, right? They grew up in the same environment. It’s passed down, right? This is a lineage, you know, uh, passed down generationally. And so everybody’s doing the best that they can. And yet they don’t always have the skills or the tool sets. Because again, between the ages of one and seven, as you’re aware, as so many of us are, we are like sponges, right?

We’re taking everything in from our environment. We see mom and dad and we see where they’re coming from. Mom and dad are so young. They don’t even understand their own emotions yet. And then those of us that are sensitive pick up. And and even sometimes even play the part of the parents, right? We’re not aware of that.

It’s such a your early age, right? So we are, um, all of a sudden, we know when mom’s gonna feel this way. We know when dad’s gonna be upset. So you start to get, you know, extra sensitive. You can call it again, your superpowers, right? If we understand that in this time and space, how that serves us, And for most of our lives, though, we haven’t felt that way.

What for me, I was taught and told you’re oversensitive. You’re too intense, right? Over and over again. 

Now the 

question is, is this true? We can answer this two different ways, right? First, I’m going to say no. And then I’m going to say yes. Again, when I learned to really fully embody my sensitivity to see how much of a, um, how, how much good it does in the world, how I’m able to teach and serve and speak and be because of it, that’s, you know, is it true?

Absolutely. I’m intense. I’m sitting here. You can’t see me, but I’m still speaking with my hands, right? And the point is, you know, it takes sensitivity, empathy to understand others, to be able to be in the line of work that we’re in, right? This is a superpower. And my whole life though, I believed the lie. I thought that there’s, there was something wrong with me, right?

I’m not good enough. Clearly my sensitivity is a problem to others. That’s not the truth. 

And so 

just to bring it back again to our perception, to really just be able to take that responsibility as adults to go back and really heal the inner child, the inner inner pieces of us that have been constantly seeking validation outside ourselves and or quick fixes.

Hence the addiction cycle, right, that you work so heavily on and that we work with. And just to come back around then to codependency and narcissism, what is it? Anything really can be, um, you know, a type of addiction, anything that we are using to escape from and or to control unconsciously. So a lot of people I work with don’t even realize how controlling they are.

And they’re 

only controlling because that’s, they grew up in unstable environments. 

Ronnie Landis: Yes. 

Adena Sampson: So what we did as children was designed it so we could survive. But now we’re pushing the very thing we say we want away. And or if we’re over givers, we have no capacity to know what it’s like to receive. How do I receive, if you want to manifest what you say and you want in your life, you can’t do that.

If you’ve been an over giver your whole life, you can’t accept compliments and you don’t know how to receive. 

And I 

work with so many that are in that space because again, It’s just the old autopilot that’s running, right? And we want to go from autopilot to auto magic. We want to go 

into 

a point where we can look, shed a light into the darkness, like you said, not to get stuck there, but to use everything we can as a lesson, uh, to, to, um, do some inquiry.

So we can then take that to propel ourselves forward. 

Ronnie Landis: So beautifully explained. And again, so much, so much within that as well. You mentioned the piece around giving and receiving, and you know, we hear these things all the time. And I’d love to know, what does that actually look like when you say we need to learn to receive?

And obviously there is that dynamic, Uh, uh, what’s the word I’m looking for that that dynamic reciprocal exchange, if you will, with giving and receiving, and a lot of us are really good at giving a lot of people are really good at receiving or good at taking however you want to, you know, however that shows up light and shadow.

What is receiving actually mean practically. 

Adena Sampson: Yeah, again, for me it’s really at least my journey it’s been about letting go. Thank you. Right. Again, thinking that we have control when we don’t, 

Ronnie Landis: okay. 

Adena Sampson: Right. Um, realizing that when we let go, it’s not going to be the end of the world, which is really our fear behind it.

So it’s our fearful narratives behind everything that most of us are just not aware of. So, you know, again, you’re bringing up that which this, here’s what I love. It’s a catch 22 with everything that we’re saying. There’s two sides of the coin because you mentioned again, giving and receiving. And again, our definition, let’s just say collectively, often, unfortunately, leans to say, hey, um, like the selfish and self loving, it’s such a fine line.

Receiving doesn’t mean you’re a taker, although there are people who will use that to their advantage. Right? Uh, again, so, so, and again, we can call that somewhat narcissistic, but, but again, I don’t like getting stuck there as much as I say, okay, how can we be more holistic First, it’s about not so much gaming as it is letting go of the pieces that are not us.

How 

are we 

able to live the life we want unless we’re able to take off the masks? So many of us play so many different roles, right? Because this is what we were taught and told. This is what we think will make us look better. And the thing is, you know, that’s what holds us back from having the intimacy and the relationships, whether that be personal, business, any type of success in the world.

Um, it’s not separate that how we show up is how we show up in every area of our lives. And if we can see every interaction, every person who is there to reflect back to us, you know, some of what we need to see, again, we can take our pain to purpose. We can learn the lesson and we can move forward. So receiving.

You have to be open and willing to receive. I would say for many of us and for me, okay, I, I know that, um, I, you know, I had a big, uh, abandonment wound, okay, uh, from growing up and, and many of us do. And I say that because, um, aside from being an over giver or someone who, again, is a people pleaser, I mean, we could go into so many different, again, um, you know, names, uh, we can put on it.

We have to understand that in doing that, sometimes we push people away. We push the very thing we want away because we’re holding on too tightly to the outcome. We are not able to detach from the outcome. And again, if we think that we’re the only one driving the ship and we’re not leaving room for co creation with spirit, with source, with God, whatever your beliefs are, uh, it’s going to be a harder path.

Or at least it was for me when back in the day, I thought I was driving the ship.

Ronnie Landis: That’s really powerful. So if you’re not driving the ship, if I’m not driving the ship, then who’s driving the ship? 

Adena Sampson: Well, again, I think it’s a co creative process, right? It’s not, um, again, we can talk about the principles at another time, but I live my life by the principles. You know, that have kept me alive and well for a reason, uh, shift your perspective being the first principle, right?

Uh, because truly I really believe that we can say one thing and we don’t realize how big of a shift that is. It’s a micro shift. A shift in perspective can and will change your life. Period. 

Ronnie Landis: For sure. The only thing that does. 

Adena Sampson: Right. Um, so again, we can say surrender and accept what is yes. And to me, it’s not either, or it’s yes.

And so to me, it’s me and source me and God, me and the universe. It’s okay. Um, you know, I’ve got it. We have to take action. Don’t expect just to have it come to you. And you can’t sit there and just take action and take action without the dance of life is what I call it. Uh, for example, I, um, I get up and I have my morning intentions.

I speak my intentions out. I ask to be shown the way. Okay. Very often we want to see the whole picture when, uh, what happens more often than not is we’re given the first step. 

And so 

for me in my life, when you ask about who’s driving the ship, it’s a co creative process. You’re given the full step, you know, the first step, if you’re asking, if you’re seeking, right.

And then you follow suit and you have to trust that the path will unfold in front of you with every step you take. Now that takes courage. That takes what? Faith. That takes trust in yourself and a higher power, higher source. Okay? Uh, that takes a lot more than what we see in the physical. As far as being able to get up every day and put one foot in front of the other and trust that all is as it should be.

Thank you. But again, it’s a co creative process. It’s, it’s dancing, right? It’s, it’s, uh, uh, I don’t believe it works any other way, or at least not in a balanced way. 

Ronnie Landis: Yeah, I think that was really great, and I completely agree with that. That’s so much of my process with life as well. What I notice and what I feel is that whenever I experience any form of what we would call a trigger, a sympathetic arousal, activation, a stress response, a block, a barrier, a disconnect in relation to my external environment, whether that be a person that might be a situation, anything that is, anything that is happening in my reality, That does not reflect what I want or what I think I want or what I’m comfortable with in that moment.

Ultimately, what that is, is a, is a signpost showing me where I’m still blocked within myself, where I’m blocked from my own source of happiness, joy, my own source, essentially, where there’s still a part of me that’s outsourcing to my external environment to, to, um, how do you say, outsourcing to my external environment for my own sense of whatever the internal experience I’m seeking for.

Does that in order not, hopefully that doesn’t overcomplicate the simplicity of what I’m saying. In other words, it’s showing me where I’m not fully whole and healed and complete within myself. 

Adena Sampson: Exactly. It’s showing us where we’re not in alignment with what it is we say we want. We may say one thing, do another, right?

And again, it’s really about coming home to ourselves, clearing away all the untruths really is what it is. It’s almost about letting go more than it is acquiring. And when we simplify and when we are able to catch ourselves in these moments. It’s also about the compassion and the self love that we’re able then to cultivate for ourselves, because that’s where we heal.

So that when these do, these moments do come up, which they will, the biggest area I work with, and you were there when we did our courage to thrive event, right? The courage to thrive event. What was it all about? It’s all about. Living life. Right. Um, irrelevant of what life throws at you that, uh, you know, thriving is not about standing on top of the mountaintop, you know, grinning with your arms up.

It sounds great. I love it. I love that pose. And it’s about living life in the now. Right. Um, one of my favorite quotes is by Vivian Green Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain. 

Ronnie Landis: Beautiful. 

Adena Sampson: Vivian Green right? My favorite because it’s been my life. Another analogy with the dancing.

So what we taught and what we spoke of, Ronnie, is exactly what we’re discussing here now, is that, um, again, uh, no matter where you are, how far on the journey you’ve come, even more so, because the longer you’ve been added at it, uh, oftentimes, the more jaded we are. We have to adopt a beginner’s mindset. We have to keep coming back to that.

And instead of beating ourselves up. Right? When we catch ourselves being anxious or depressed or all these emotions that are valid, that are part of the human condition, the experience, we need to accept that, work with that. The moment we own that, everything else works out so amazingly. It’s the judgment of ourselves, how harsh we are on ourselves, which is why we’re so harsh on others.

And then that’s the ripple effect that we end up seeing, is it not? 

Ronnie Landis: It 100 percent is that that was perfectly stated. 

Adena Sampson: Yeah. So, so again, I think that that’s kind of what you’re relating to, right? Is that this fine line of self loving is not selfish. And the only people that will reflect that back to us, which they do, and they will are people who want that desperately and who cannot and will not, and have not been able to do that for themselves.

Ronnie Landis: One of my closest brothers, Steve Adler, he, um, he has a quote where he says that the only sin a child of God can make is judgment. And that’s a really deep, that’s a deep quote if you really take it deep into the heart of the matter and what we’re talking about. Because every form of stress, when I, when I say stress, I’m not talking about environmental, chemical stress and like, Like solely physiological stress that that’s a, that’s a whole other, that’s a whole other topic.

But what I mean is the distress that we experience as human beings, psychoemotionally and spiritually, like when we’re in our head and we’re stressed about ourselves, our circumstances, our partner, our life, things not going the way we want them to go. It’s always rooted in some form of judgment that we have, like you said about ourself, about others, about our circumstances, Things not playing out the way that we prefer them.

They’re not going according to our ego preferences versus just being with what is. Like you said, being in the now, being here in the now. And um, this judgment thing is, it’s a deep unwinding because it’s very, it’s, it’s based on the conditioning that we’ve received from all the different sources of our upbringing.

Adena Sampson: Absolutely. And also what you’re saying, along with judgment and what I’m also hearing is really the expectations, right? That we place on ourselves and others. Yes. The judgment as well, but the expectation really is, is where the pain lies there in lies the pain. Cause every time we expect something or S or someone to do something or be a certain way, then it is again, we’re the ones in pain.

Our projection, our expectation of it is what keeps us hostage. Right. And so that’s what I found. I was doing in my life, Ronnie, and it was so subtle. I didn’t realize it. I didn’t realize how much I was really contributing right to how we just set things up around us for safety. Right. And it really takes courage, vulnerability and risk to do things different.

However, it is worth it. And a big part again of what we spoke about in Courage to Thrive, what you teach, which is why I absolutely adore you and the work that you do, uh, similar and yet different, but really the same, one and the same. It’s just getting down to the core of, hey, um, how are we contributing?

How are we showing up? Right. And what can we do to take the attention from seeking outside ourselves back to again, the road back to me, getting back to ourselves, the truth of who it is we are remembering, it’s almost a remembering before we had all of these teachings and some of these examples that were doing the best that they could, but maybe are really not serving, you know, the greatest good, uh, is getting down to just brass tacks and simplicity of, uh, Here’s the way it is.

We can take it or leave it. If we want to make a change in our lives, we have to just take that responsibility and really reclaiming our power, uh, at least for me, uh, was another big step, right? Is first embracing the vulnerability and, and looking into the anger and the depression and all these things.

And looking into, like you said, our judgments of them and why we were taught and told that somehow It’s hush hush or somehow no one else experiences it or somehow it’s bad if you do right like that’s not the truth And when we realize that we get to take our power back when we realize that anger is an emotion It’s an it’s a valid one.

It’s not even it’s actually a secondary one hurt is beneath it Right? And the importance to talk about, I think, taboo subjects, because a lot of the times, too, in a New Age community, for example, you know, you get a lot of, uh, you know, uh, rhetoric out there about anger and, and the negativity of it, and, and I just disagree.

Uh, that’s been a big part of my healing, actually. 

Ronnie Landis: For sure. The inability to actually engage with your anger. And to fully experience it and somatically move it into to engage with grief and all these Uncomfortable emotions that are not high vibe only And that do that, you know, I think too like you and I you and I met at a manifestation event a law of attraction event like in 2010 in san francisco, california And I just think about a lot of those communities, which are just full of some of the most beautiful, like pure hearted people, but don’t necessarily, um, may not fully be integrated in their total humanness.

Um, you know, in a snapshot of time, I don’t know where, where people are in their own experience. Of course, I only know mine, but what I felt was that within a lot of that community, There is this phobia and fear around these quote unquote lower frequency emotions, if you will, are these more uncomfortable emotions.

And I don’t think it’s just because they’re uncomfortable. I think it’s because there’s a, there’s a paradigm that if you engage with these feelings, if you entertain them, Then you’re manifesting more of that. 

Adena Sampson: Right. 

Ronnie Landis: I think that’s actually the opposite. 

Adena Sampson: Yes. And see, this is what I love about you and your thought process, because again, I think this is exactly what we need to speak about.

And actually circling back to the beginning of the conversation, again, everyone’s exactly where they need to be. There is no judgment of it. However, If we go back to that time and in a space where I realized there was an inauthenticity in the community because of it, because of exactly what you said, that underlying fear that if I partake, then I might get stuck, or if I partake, then I’m manifesting that.

No, if we don’t partake, if we don’t shed those things, right, then we are just hush hush. No wonder we develop, you know, illnesses. No wonder things are, we’re pretending. And here’s the thing. And let’s talk about narcissism, because let’s talk about this in the self righteousness. As you know, anyone that actually embarks on a spiritual journey has to have some level of self righteousness to begin with.

And what happens is you end up getting stuck there at times in this type of community. There’s another level which allows you and which you must dive deep into the humanness in order to truly heal and then have that full holistic approach until then you get stuck. At where you think is all love and light, which is really self righteous narcissism as far as I’m concerned and a lack of authenticity that keeps people really not close to you, right?

You’re not able to bridge that gap and have the compassion because the only way to do that is to get into those dark spaces and places, be okay with the dark night of a soul and really come face to face with your shadow. 

Ronnie Landis: Carl Jung said that the reason people don’t find God is because they’re not looking low enough.

That was incredibly revealing, you know, like he also said that until you make your conscious or the unconscious is always seeking to become conscious. And so ultimately what you repress and suppress is what you manifest. And it creates this kind of mixed result or this, this like confusion around. A, the process of manifesting, what that really is, and why am I, quote unquote, and the whole thing around manifesting is a bit of a misnomer in of itself, to your point about the fact that we are co creating with the innate intelligence of the unseen hand behind everything that’s orchestrating everything that brought you into the world and will take you out, that brings everything in and out.

And the surrendering to that innate intelligence that is within me and beyond me at the same time. And I think there is a level of humility that comes through when you do start looking low enough, you look into the shadow and you start to really get honest about, Hey, I have these lower quote unquote qualities to me.

And the, and the process is not about. Staying in those low points, because I think that’s part of the fear too, and fair enough, like, it’s not fun to feel the grief and to feel the resentment and to feel these aspects of self that don’t feel good. Of course, it doesn’t feel good, but that’s part of the alchemy, that’s part of the, the spiritual mastery is to be able to engage authentically with these aspects of self and also the collective.

And to be able to alchemize them, to transmute them into what we would, we would associate as higher quality or, or more integrated aspects of self. 

Adena Sampson: Yes. Um, you know, again, for me and a big part of what we speak about and teach is leaning into the uncomfortable. I can’t stress that enough with everyone that I come across.

And it’s because that’s been my journey again, that fear moving past that, right? The only way out is through. And I truly believe that whether that’s coming through us right as that vehicle and or through any obstacle that you may deep or think that you’re facing in the moment. Because it can change in a moment and it will, the moment we shift our perspective, the moment we again, go to the acceptance, which is really what I heard when you were just speaking, right?

The acceptance of these lower spaces and places, when you own this. There’s no longer judgment and not just of yourself. It’s of others. That’s the healing. It’s that ripple effect. It’s okay. Again, we’re so afraid to show our true colors, right? We’re, we’re, we don’t realize we’ve got these control mechanisms going on and the way we interact with people.

And if we could just not beat ourselves up so much, we might let ourselves, it’s not even letting ourselves off the hook. This is a yes and. It’s taking responsibility while being compassionate, you see. This is where the yes and comes from. It’s not one or the other. And I feel like Many times, uh, the rhetoric is focused one way or the other.

Um, again, if it’s holistic, right, which is what, you know, a big part of what we’re discussing here, we just need to realize that it’s not forever, it’s just for now. And the more we can be curious and lean into the uncomfortable, right, I’m telling you right now, there’s always something better on the other side.

It’s a breakthrough every time. And that’s a whole nother conversation. What is a breakthrough? Again, a matter of perspective. Is it not so, uh, so much to say? And this is really exciting when you and I get into this because it’s truly the, um, uh, at the root, right? Of what we’re healing here, what we’re discussing and really where the true freedom lies in the human condition.

Ronnie Landis: This is so good. This is, this is amazing. And so I want to, I want to circle back around to what you mentioned about medical gaslighting. Cause I would be remissed if I did not probe into that with you. What exactly, yeah, what does that mean? I know what it means. Cause I was in that world for a long time, but what, what does it mean to you and what was your experience?

Cause now you’re, you’re, you’re talking about the breakthrough. I want to circle back to your journey. what? So yeah, like medical gas lighting in particular, like what? What was that experience for you? And what led to the breakthrough in your health transformation? 

Adena Sampson: Sure. Again, days turned into weeks turned into months for me.

In and out of doctors. Um, so much so. I mean, at this point, I, I, I could probably write a book on just, you know, uh, you know, my experiences there. Therefore, let me preface it by saying, um, again, there’s not one way to go about healing. As you know, it’s a holistic approach. At least for me, it was Western medicine, grateful, thankful, blessed for what it does.

Uh, we have a lot of doctors doing outside of the box therapies and using technologies that are upcoming. Which I am so, you know, supportive of, uh, and my journey was, I was an anomaly to all the doctors. So Western medicine didn’t have the answers for me. I had to seek other means, okay? Um, uh, like you wouldn’t believe, I had to become my own health advocate, right?

Uh, like you teach others, uh, and that was something I had to learn as I went. Medical gaslighting, how does it look? How did it look for me? How does it still look? And again, this is not everyone. It’s just, um, happens quite a bit in the industry, uh, uh, uh, especially to women. Okay. And again, this is just something that, Oh, it’s all in your head.

It’s what I heard a lot of. It’s what a lot of people hear when they’re dealing with, underlying, you know, mystery illnesses that have yet to be, you know, discovered, uh, we get dismissed. Oh, they’re just making it up. Oh, they just want attention. Maybe we’ll refer you somewhere else and you can go ahead and take some drugs, you know, uh, for your neurotransmitters.

Sure. We might need some support there. And is that the route? No, that’s the cascade as you know. So at the time it was just very, um, disheartening. I mean, I’d go in and out of doctor’s offices and, and many times I’d be in tears thinking again, I must be crazy. Now, how does this relate to my healing? Is that again, growing up, I was taught and told I’m too sensitive.

I’m too this, I’m not good enough. Oh, you know, uh, my thoughts are warped same thing. So gaslighting across the board, I didn’t realize. That’s what it was called. I didn’t really understand that at the time. Now, looking back again, I can just see that when it’s sprinkled here and sprinkled there, uh, the opportunity for me was just to learn how to trust myself.

Um, and that’s what most of us do. Uh, you know, don’t always know how to do because of how that shows up again. I had false negatives across the board So when I say I was misdiagnosed for almost uh, seven years I I have the the regular, you know, uh, Lyme test strike the ELSA false negatives. Again, we saw that with covid as well.

So, uh, you know, infectious disease, you know, seeing many different doctors across the board, having the miss it, uh, you know, having other things coming to play, right? It was multifaceted, not just lyme bacteria, but the viral co infections, right? The, um, mold exposure, right? The triggers So, uh, you know, the gas lighting was just that, you know, oftentimes I wasn’t taken seriously or it was all in my head.

And yeah, it was, my brain was on fire and nobody was listening and my cognitive ability, I couldn’t have a conversation like you knew me back then. And like you knew me now, it was Not even possible to have this type of a conversation. We’re talking, you know, again, 24, seven pain cycle with brain fog. So you’re trying to see the forest of the trees and, um, you’re questioning everything around you.

Uh, you’re so not well that you have no choice, but to live in the moment. You see, I have no choice. I was having the time of my life. If I was able to get out of the house. and not be stuck in bed all day, that for whatever that was, that hour, whatever, it was the time of my life because that’s all I had.

And almost dying, uh, three times, four times over, no small thing either. So when you’ve gotten to that point, you know, and you’ve got nothing left to lose, you have no choice, but to bounce back. You have no choice, but to go, look, I mean, I’ve, Boom, boom, boom. And all my relationships. So you think I didn’t attract codependency in my romantic relationships during even the time when I wasn’t well, I wasn’t well, I wasn’t well.

You think that was easy for them? No way. Right. And, and, and Lyme rage is real as well. So, um, I know that’s probably a longer again, answer. than you expected, but maybe it gives you a better picture. Yeah. 

Ronnie Landis: Well, yeah, I mean, it definitely gives, it gives a concise snapshot of what the experience is like in a very, in a very snapshot version.

And there’s so many people that can relate to exactly what you’re saying, particularly when you have some sort of condition Psychophysical emotional condition where you’re being told that it’s all in your head. When you said that, I’m thinking of the title of a book from Dr. Hal Huggins, who recently passed away.

He was a world famous dentist and he wrote a book called it’s all in your head. And he was talking about root canals and mercury amalgam fillings and the cascade of the mercury off gassing. Going across the blood brain barrier, demyelinating the nerve fibers and creating, um, toxicity within the brain and creating that inflammatory response and people having, you know, psychological and emotional breakdowns, very similar to what you explained with the Lyme disease and the biofilm infections and the mold toxicity, and so many people can, are experiencing that with these conditions and so many more.

And the medical gaslighting where you are telling the quote unquote professionals your symptoms, and they either don’t have the competency or the holistic awareness to understand what’s going on, or they’re just simply telling you. Yeah, it’s all in your head. We don’t nothing’s coming off coming up in our diagnostics in in the level of the level of, um, you know, awareness that we have based on our tools and methodologies that were given in pharmaceutical drugs.

And so, you know, like, it’s all in your head that that right there is something so many people can relate to. And I can only imagine how deeply frustrating that experience is 

Adena Sampson: I would go a step further. So really, what we’re talking about is PTSD. And again, it’s important to speak about the respect to where that originated from.

And also, when you’re going through something like this, it’s It’s a domino effect. It’s multi faceted. So, um, it’s, it’s, uh, on all levels, right? Happening, uh, you know, neurologically, physically, emotionally, spiritually, and it’s not just the medical gas signing. It’s also those closest to you who love you and do not understand because they can’t, they want to, they love you.

And many times again, I had the experience that I literally was told, uh, you’re a, um, hypochondriac. And I was like, you’ve got to be kidding me. Like my point is like I would ever, who would ever make anything like this up. And that hurts to the core initially as it’s happening. It’s not just, Oh my God, that’s a small tap.

It’s Oh my God, that was a full blow. You’ve got to be kidding me. So you want to talk about lonely path. You want to talk about isolating path long before COVID. And let’s talk about the people who are suffering with long haulers. Okay, those of us who have suffered for many years prior, different name or not, same mechanism.

You know that, okay, from your medical background and your experience of what you teach. And so, you know, at least I see and I hope that there’s an opening here for better understanding. For so many that have come prior. But yeah, that PTSD, that’s no small thing. Because again, now you’re really questioning yourself and your sanity.

You don’t know which way is up. And it is a perfect opportunistic moment when also you’re not maybe at your best to also attract more reflections of then that toxic dynamic relationship within other facets and areas of your life, you see. Um, And again, the benefit of that, if you’re able to, it didn’t, you know, it wasn’t something I was able to do when I was in the middle of it, of course, Ronnie, because when you’re on, on the floor debilitated, truly, uh, in the dark night of the soul, trying to understand what the purpose is.

Holding on to that so that I can see another day trusting that there has to be a reason right that, uh, you know, it takes a lot of strength and I had to have some relief physically enough to be able to choose From my mental space to then move forward and go, okay, I’ve got to look at some of these things here, uh, separate than the physical, right?

Separate than what they cannot see with the doctors. And I have to learn how to trust myself and be okay with, um, you know, leaning into my intuition and knowing exactly what’s going on within my, uh, my being.

So I’m so grateful, right? Because now I can go thank God. If not, I wouldn’t even be here speaking to you. If not, we wouldn’t have the impact that we’re having one person at a time. That ripple effect, right? Someone’s lives changed because they know that they’re not alone. They’re not going to take their life.

That’s a big issue as you’ve seen, uh, and we’ve seen an increase in mental health. I don’t even think it’s an increase. I think we just have more of an awareness to it with the increase. So good thing again that we’re shedding light into a space and place that I believe we really need to have more support and focus on.

Ronnie Landis: Yeah. The, the mental health epidemic has been amplified. It’s been, it’s been exaggerated, not exaggerated. It’s not the right word, but, but the symptoms have been exaggerated. They’ve been put into our face, particularly with the advent of the COVID 19 and the pandemic and everything that came along with it.

Um, the mental health epidemic that has been underpinning within the society for quite a while had just become very put in our face. And we all, all of us in some shape or fashion had begun to experience that. Um, whereas maybe before we did not experience it, maybe we, we had some form of neurosis or some form of mental neurotransmitter, emotional imbalance of some sort, but it wasn’t obvious to us because our coping mechanisms and our numbing and medication strategies.

We’re creating, um, we’re, we’re helping us stay quote unquote in balance. You know, based on our level of perspective of ourselves or our surroundings, but then when some of those things got stripped, then it became much more obvious what the pathology really was like within society as a whole, and then within our own individual experience.

And so, you know, I just that in, in just referenc particularly around the m

A, your perspective on that, but also what, what was your path towards healing? Um, and I know that’s, that’s a long answer in of itself, but just the mental health aspect, like how did you keep yourself mentally in check to be able to make it through your trials and challenges? 

Adena Sampson: Surely one moment at a time, and I don’t say one day at a time because it’s moment to moment, uh, and a big part of, again, you know, the reason why I was asked to write the book, um, it’s really the nine principles, right?

I had nine principles that I adhere to that literally truly saved my life. I had to, again, like I said, take my power back, right? I had to, uh, learn how to fill my cup up first, uh, before giving so that I could First energize my being right. I was drained on multiple accounts, right? Not just physically. And, uh, you know, these principles truly have saved my life.

So I think that’s the best way to answer 

you. I’m 

happy to, you know, uh, you know, go through some of them if you’d like. Just touch on them. But, uh, yes, that would be 

Ronnie Landis: great. 

Adena Sampson: Yeah. So again, okay. So, uh, nine principles, right. For navigating what life’s unexpected twists and turns the road back to me. That’s that’s my title of the book.

Um, and I really just share my story so that people understand, again, they’re not alone. Here’s where I’ve been, no matter what you’re transitioning, I get you and here’s what’s helped me. So number one, shift your perspective. We’ve already mentioned that, right. Some of that. Number two, surrender and accept what is.

Again, some of what we’ve already discussed, uh, move through the illusion. Number three, how’s that different from shifting your perspective or moving through the illusion is really getting underneath, right? Again, our limiting beliefs that are holding us back, right? Some of these untruths, right? Being able to call those out, uh, again, just being able to move through the illusion.

Is that true? Right? Uh, being curious, remaining curious, right, leaning into the uncomfortable, realizing that there’s always something on the other side, right, it’s really, I, I guess I, I built a natural resilience, right, of Ronnie is, is what I did, because I had no choice, I was in, I was in the middle of it, right, so when we talk about, you know, wanting the storm to pass, here’s the thing, our expectation of that passing is only what keeps us in pain.

So really embracing your vulnerability. That’s my principle number four, right? A big part that I think most of us skip over, especially in business. And we don’t realize that what builds and, you know, bridges the gap and keeps us in intimate relationships and keeps us having relationships. That’s us being authentic, us being vulnerable, but we’re taught, Oh, don’t do that.

That’s a weakness, right? Don’t ask for help or don’t share your intimate. knowings, don’t do this, don’t do this, especially in a business front. And I bring that up because I think it’s time. And at least for me, that was a huge piece of it. I had to say, look, uh, here’s the good, the bad and the ugly. Look, um, if I want to build relationships, why do I have You know, uh, strong relationships, you know, in one area, not the other.

It’s look, this is who I am. Take it or leave it. People admire that because everybody is the same. Nobody’s talking about it. So we have to embrace our vulnerability and not shy away from it. I think it’s, it’s really under appreciated in society right now. Uh, and just a big part of my journey. Um, principle number five, reclaim your power again.

It’s not just a, uh, something we can do in a one stop shop. It’s multifaceted. But what does that mean again? Where am I giving away my power? How is that showing up in my life? Let’s just give an example. Everybody can relate to. You’re driving in the car. People are pretty intense these days even more than than usual, right?

Somebody’s kind of maybe creeping up behind you. There’s a couple lanes around. You’re going the speed limit, right? Whatever it is, it’s very easy for us in our human space to get angry, right? That’s something that, man, was very easy for me prior, uh, a few years back, okay? Uh, and I’m proud to say that, um, that doesn’t happen anymore, and when it does, it’s so rare, and I giggle, or I handle it differently, because now I have the tools to do so.

That is still giving away our power, is it not, right? In the moment, I could get angry, I can get upset, or I can say, okay, let’s move forward, this is not mine, right? So it’s, where are we giving away our power? And oftentimes, it is so subtle in the slightest ways, and if we can pinpoint that, And, uh, practice in the moment, right, and shift our, uh, you know, state, uh, and be proactive instead of reactive.

I’m telling you right now, that changes the whole playing field with every interaction you have, and that’ll heal some of the most, uh, rawest wounds from your childhood growing up when you’re not expecting mom or dad or anyone around you to act or behave a certain way anymore. Um, you’re no longer going to get triggered.

And that, for me, uh, I believe was A huge piece to my healing, Ronnie, for sure. Um, Okay. And number six, lighten up. That’s a big one. Uh, you know, I had to grow into that even when you knew me when, uh, many years ago. Uh, I think, I think it’s again, undervalued the importance of not only having a sense of humor, but understanding that humor builds resiliency.

And again, that’s a big part of nonjudgment. That’s a big part of being able to laugh it off, have that release. Uh, and be able to realize, uh, not take things so seriously, not take myself so seriously, right? Uh, I’m sure you’ve had that experience along the way as well. 

Ronnie Landis: Of course That’s actually just a pause on that real quick Humor is so important.

And there, there’s, I mean, there’s, there’s so many, so many things to discuss on that. I was just thinking really quickly. Um, there’s a man called named Norman cousins back in the sixties or so. He wrote a really incredible book on healing. The title of it is escaping me right now, but essentially he was diagnosed with a quote unquote, incurable cancer.

And he, instead of him going into doing the therapy, He decided, well, if I only have six months to live, I’m just gonna lock myself in a hotel room and watch, like, Three Stooges, Marx Brothers, like, Abbott and Costello movies, and he literally laughed himself back into good health, and then wrote a whole book on it, and reversed his quote unquote incurable condition, all based on laughter.

Yes, that’s interesting. 

Adena Sampson: Yes. So again, to answer your question on my journey and how, as you can see with the principles, this is how that’s just one of the ways, right? So, and there, and there’s more than nine. However, I realized that these were the core, right? We have to, in order to Um, again, move forward and propel ourselves forward to that, which we say we want to gain more courage, clarity, confidence to heal ourselves, whether that be physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, you name it.

Um, we’ve got to be able to do that from a solid foundation. And if we’re continuing from a foundation that wasn’t solid to begin with, uh, we’re not going to get past where we’re at. This is why we accept the humanist, right? This is why we heal that inner child. This is why we do the work, shed that light into the darkness so that we can.

Uh, take those lessons and then move ourselves forward. So how I healed laughter, again, a big part of that, right? I had to lighten up. I had to let go. I, I needed to laugh because in those moments, right? It was pain free, wasn’t it? In the moment, Even if it lasts a second, five minutes, 20 minutes, we’ll take it right again, shifting that perspective, focusing elsewhere and being able to lighten up.

It not just saves, it saved my life. Uh, but I know that it saves, like I said, the lives of so many, just like the story you just mentioned. So, yeah, 

Ronnie Landis: beautiful. 

Adena Sampson: Uh, yeah. So then principle seven, right. Live for today. Back to the moment again, back to that present moment that we speak of again, maybe sometimes speak of, and maybe not always practice.

It’s really just mindfulness. It was, I didn’t have a choice but to be present in many of my moments. And when I wasn’t cognizant and when I spent all day in bed, again, if I had a moment where I was talking to a friend or I was able to get out and have a good meal, my God, they had the, they had a blast just watching me eat.

You know, I’m just excited because I literally, I’m like a kid lighting up, right. Um, living life in the moment. And that was a big piece of my healing was allowing that, right. I say that I’m a recovering perfectionist, Ronnie, again, because that was my coping mechanism growing up, the overachiever, right? Uh, and that has kept me stuck in so many ways.

It has served me and it has kept me stuck. And so it’s important for those of us who are, I would say, recovering from that to realize that we are good just the way we are. That it’s about doing. It’s not about doing, it’s about just being. What does that mean? Well, we first have to get present. We have to get away from all the, um, uh, you know, hustle and bustle, bustle of the day, of the social media.

We have to allow ourselves to be okay in the silent moments. Mm. Mm hmm.

And again, how comfortable are we in these silent moments?

And of course, pausing for a reason, because when we’re able to just be in the silence, Most of us are afraid to sit here because we know in the silence is where we get our messages, is where things are shown to us. And so it’s a catch 22 and yet worth it all the while. So live for today, right? It’s really about practicing mindfulness.

If we’re doing the dishes, do the dishes. Most of us, At any given moment, our thoughts will wander, right? We’ll think about what happened earlier in the day, what might happen to come. And again, if we talk about, uh, making sure that we can support our moments of overwhelm, anxiety, depression. That comes from being in the moment because depression regret a lot of the times will come from what living in the past, right?

Anxiety about Oh, what is to come and what will I do? And how can I make this happen? That really doesn’t serve us. And so we can’t. It’s not about being out of those states every moment of every day. It’s about knowing those waves will come no matter who you are, whether or not you teach right? Okay. I think that’s really important.

I think there’s a misperception that if you are a speaker, a teacher, a coach, if you’re teaching what it is, uh, that you are living, that somehow you’re above that. That is not the truth. And I think that’s the problem. And you, you see what I, you know what I mean when I’m going there, right? 

Ronnie Landis: Yeah. I mean, I used to feel that for a while back in the day.

I used to feel that that like I was out of integrity because I didn’t some days I didn’t feel as healthy as I should, or as I know how to do right. So it’s in sometimes I felt like it was a function of what I was doing versus realizing that there’s an ebb and flow. And if I’m teaching something that probably means that I’m going to have to go through The lessons and overcome some of those lessons in order to be able to experience the full spectrum of what it is to to go through, like a health crisis or or, you know, if I’m talking about mental health, I have to know what it’s like to have the absence of that in order to know.

what the recovery process is and also to appreciate what it is to have good mental health by knowing the contrast of it. 

Adena Sampson: Exactly. And I love when you said contrast because that’s what we don’t want to experience. We want to feel good and then we want to keep feeling good. And without that contrast, we Um, are not really able to propel ourselves forward.

So again, another catch 22. And it’s so important because not only do we beat ourselves up in the moment when we think we should know better, which is what I heard when you mentioned your journey just now, right? Uh, that is where we get to work on again, that compassion. And when we teach, we live by example.

So the more we teach, the more we learn, we keep living by example and learning and working with those that we get to witness on the journey as well. I think that is. A big one of my most of what I love about serving in the way that I am in the way that you are and that we are is we get to learn as we go and have these amazing, beautiful reflections show up in our lives to remind us, you know what I’m saying?

On the journey. So Yeah. I just think that’s, that’s really important that again, it comes back to not beating ourselves up when that inner critic comes up and it will expect it to, that’s the whole point. If we’re going to expect anything expected to, no matter how far on the journey you are, the difference is your bounce back is just a lot quicker and sooner.

You have the tools to go, okay, I got it. Or, okay, I see. Right. And you can, um, navigate, bounce back and move forward a lot, uh, swifter and more gracefully than you once did. 

Ronnie Landis: Mm. Beautifully said. 

Adena Sampson: And so these principles are really, uh, principles I live by every day, principles to live by, not just separately, but again, cohesively as a whole.

Uh, you know, principle eight, ask and you shall receive. Back to the beginning of what it means to receive. Well, if we don’t know how to ask for help, we’re not going to receive. We don’t know what it means to increase our capacity to receive, because we’re stuck that asking for help means what when we go back to childhood, what were you taught asking for help is a weakness.

Asking for help is tip for tap. It comes with a hook, line, and sinker. That’s what I learned. So what happens then is you decide to do it all on your own, Ronnie. 

Because it’s 

for that way, we don’t realize that we’re keeping other people at bay that we’re doing it on our own because of the fear of what being let down, because when you’re let down enough where people aren’t showing up for you right.

Unfortunately, that was a big underlying limiting belief for me that I had to break through was that coping mechanism and that belief that people aren’t showing up for me and so, of course, my reflection in my life, people weren’t showing up for me. Until I realized I had to show up for myself, right, reframe that because that’s not the truth, and then expect to be met.

From a positive right from a different perspective of Hey, if we’re realigning ourselves, we have to let go of the people and places that are no longer for us. They served us at one point, maybe no longer. And now we’re choosing to be meant right now. I’m choosing to connect with people who are vibrating at the same frequency.

No judgment. If they’re not, I just choose not to spend my time there. I get to choose who sits at my table. But first you got to clear off that table. And then you got to have that courage to say, Okay, asking for help is not a weakness. Asking for help. I had the experience that it was hook, line and sinker.

That doesn’t mean that needs to keep being that way. Let me work in that arena right in that darkness. Let’s dig it up. Let’s look at it and then let’s reframe it so it can serve us moving forward. And then let’s practice asking strangers for help. Let’s practice, you know, even taking people up on asking for help.

How often do we do that? Those of us that serve, right? Those who are giving in nature, uh, very often that’s not the case. And, uh, we don’t even realize that if we’re not accepting compliments. That we’re not accepting gifts. Again, other people are giving us, which means we’re not able to receive. So you see that catch 22.

Ronnie Landis: Absolutely. 

Adena Sampson: And then finally, nine, number nine, have faith, whatever it takes. So that last piece, you asked me how I did it, whatever it takes. If I’m here and I’m choosing to stay here again, there was a time where I thought it made no sense. I’ll be very honest. I was at such a dark point, Ronnie, which is a big reason why I wrote the book.

And I was asked to write the book. Not because I wanted to, because it was, oh, wow, you want me to, oh God, okay. Yeah, I didn’t even realize how vulnerable I was until after it was published and realized, okay, I just, as long as it helps people, as long as people know they’re not alone, because it was not even emotional for me at that point when I didn’t want to be here anymore.

It was so bad. The threshold was so bad that it made no sense at the time. Again, then again, I had to hit that space. I had to hit rock bottom and everyone I work with normally it’s one, two, three time, meaning at some point you have to get uncomfortable enough. To move past your comfort zone. Otherwise, you’re going to stay where you’re at.

Then don’t complain. Don’t blame, right? This is what we do. That’s the human condition. It’s just, you’re going to stay where you’re at until you’re ready to say, okay, I’ve got to look at some things I have not been willing to look at. And then I have to be gracious and loving and kind and give myself the love and affection that I was seeking outside myself for so long.

And then once we do that again, our relationships change. You can’t change anyone else. You can’t fix anyone else, and it’s not your job to fix anyone else. Again, I thought it was my job growing up early on, Ronnie, and I had to really move past that, um, in order to, um, to heal. And so, multifaceted in my healing journey, uh, again, a lot of different modalities, again, from the health perspective, a lot of different supplements, uh, and again, the mindset of, one moment at a time, what can I do now, today?

How would you have me show up? And by the way, Also reassessing what I thought success was. That’s really what it started and where it started for me, Ronnie, because I was slowed down because I had no choice because, um, I think I was. Out of the gate real fast. Um, seeing business, like I said, in a different light, maybe, like I said, driving my own ship and, um, I had to learn through experience that there’s a more graceful, balanced, um, uh, you know, a prosperous way to, to be.

And that measuring success the way we’re taught and told was actually holding me back from that. My perfectionism, my, this is what success is. You know, this is how much money we need to have. Again, that’s not the truth. So when we realize that we are enough just as is exactly the way that we are, and we can truly get that and grasp that, then again, Our identity is not placed in what we do.

Our identity is not in the work that we do. No, that’s not where it lies. And again, a big part of the healing, when we’re able to shift our perspective and say, a smile can just make someone’s day. And I’m going to leave you with that story because it’s a story I share and I’ve shared very frequently that when I got sick, um, many, many years ago, like I said, 12, 13 years ago, I wasn’t able to speak and coach and do the work that I was passionate about.

And so I remember at the time I was actually in, uh, Hawaii. I was, uh, didn’t know anything about flowers. I ended up having to get a job on the other side of the island, uh, selling flowers. I learned everything about tuberose, plumeria, all these things, right? Because again, I I’ve been able to, uh, support products and services before, and I needed cash.

I had to keep a roof over my head. But I was in so much pain in and out of the doctor’s office sleeping all day. I couldn’t do what I once did. And, um, I felt at the time when this all happened, less than I felt because the way I measured success that somehow I wasn’t about, you know, valuable. I was seeking outside myself.

And I had someone on the street tell me that every week that I come by to do this, that I was their favorite flower girl. And that my smile just made their day. And it was a simple statement, and yet it was so profound. Because seriously, that moment and that interaction changed my trajectory forever. It was, oh my god, you mean my smile made someone’s day?

You mean just my smile is doing God’s work? You mean that’s it? You see, that’s the ripple effect. So everything else, all my standards, I was trying to uphold when everything was crashing down because of the way it looked or the way I thought I was supposed to be. Thank God it came crashing down. Thank God this amazing person, right?

Reflected that back to me. And I’m able to share that now with people moving forward, because that was just one of the many mo aha moments in my life that have truly changed my life forever. 

Ronnie Landis: Beautiful,

incredible, beautiful. Precise wisdom on so many levels. And this conversation was so multifaceted, so full spectrum and, and so incredibly, um, perfect on so many levels, like just from a storytelling perspective, I know that anybody that’s made their way to this moment of this conversation has had their perspective radically shifted and also has some of the tools and certainly the inspiration.

To maintain that perspective and state shift. And yeah, I really don’t actually know what else to say. I mean, this, this is, this was, this is one of the more complete conversations, you know, you do a podcast and there’s, and there’s so much more we can go into for sure. But I felt like, wow, this, this, there was so much built into this in your heart and your soul and your depth is so beautifully conveyed and expressed.

Um, I’m just really happy for this podcast. 

Adena Sampson: Well, Ronnie, I can say the same again, reflecting back to you that your presence, um, just who you are, shines through so bright. Uh, and I think the co creation right again with, uh, source and here we are divine intelligence, what’s meant to be, uh, in this conversation comes through if we allow it, for example, you know, I didn’t have set up here as we went into this conversation.

It’s let’s Speak into what is meant to be what people need to hear And I actually want to thank you for this because it’s great the way this is actually panned out Because oftentimes you don’t always get the opportunity to have such a cohesive conversation Which I think is nice and it it shakes things up a bit It makes things a little different and maybe fills in the gaps as well for those who are wanting a little bit more and maybe yearning for more of an in depth, you know, conversation here.

So thank you so much. 

Ronnie Landis: Absolutely. Fully agreed. And so for everyone, where can they find more about you and what you have to offer? 

Adena Sampson: Sure. Uh, I think the best bet is just to head to my website, uh, adinasampson. com. I’m sure Ronnie, you can put that in the, in the show notes when you get a chance to make it easily accessible.

Uh, there you can go ahead and stay connected. You know, uh, there’s links where you can go ahead and grab a copy of the book if that’s something you’d like to do. Uh, it’s in every format, you know, of course, uh, audio and paperback, hardback, uh, Kindle on Amazon and other aspects as well, uh, you know, out there on different platforms.

Uh, again, social media, you can follow me at Adina Sampson. Also, uh, you know, you can go ahead and check out our Courage to Pride Facebook, uh, private Facebook group. If you’d like to, you know, stay up to date and inspired, uh, happy to have you join our community and, uh, yeah, just looking forward to, uh, staying connected.

Ronnie Landis: Excellent. Thank you so much for joining me on this episode of the show. 

Adena Sampson: Oh, Rodney, it is such a pleasure. Again, I’m such a fan of you as who you are as a soul. Uh, there’s just almost an unspokenness maybe is really in, in all the words that we said today, in all of what you and I, uh, can speak about. For me, I think it’s just an unspoken, um, honor and appreciation for just who you are and, uh, your presence in my life.

So ditto, my friend. 

Ronnie Landis: Thank you. Absolute pleasure and honor.